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The Rock of the Vine

As someone who's still learning the ropes about the flavors and personalities of the different grapes, I thought that relating them to bands would be a helpful exercise. Anyone care to join?

I'll start with Cabernet Sauvignon. I'd say Cabernet Sauvignon is The Beatles. They both have a huge range of styles, a long history, and can be very approachable. They're both great in their youth but also get better with age (but not too much age... I'm thinking of Ringo these days).

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So does that make Merlot the Rolling Stones?
They are always there, delivering good quality and a range of styles (although not as wide as The Beatles) . They've always been popular with their core fans, but they also enjoy fadish popularity with a wider audience. They've also enjoyed some measure of global success.

Like Tannat, Rage represents a full bodied and furious assault to the senses. Brutally straightforward, you know what you're letting yourself into before sampling either. Popular only in very niche markets.

What do you expect from a varietal that sounds like it's named after tannin.

Powerful, complex, with a number of things going on at any moment, with moments of mind-blowing intensity. Predominantly structured along a major melody or series of them, but harmonies play a tremendous role.